Valve assembly for aerosol containers



' W. J. RAEHS VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS Oct. 31, 1967 FiledJune 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dr. Wilhelm J. Raehs Inventor.

Oct. .31, 1967 RAEHS 3,349,974

VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS Filed June 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Dr: Wilhelm J. Raehs v Invemar:

Afforney United States Patent 8 Claims. 011222-394 My present inventionrelates to valve assemblies for aerosol containers of the general typedisclosed and claimed in my US. Patent No. 3,138,304 issued June 23,1964.

In the aforementioned patent and other art relating to self-sealingvalves for aerosol containers and the like, there are disclosed valvearrangements wherein a valve member is normally held against a valveseat by the pressure developed within the container and is depressibleby the user to release the contents thereof. The container generally isfilled with the substance to be dispensed and a propellant therefor,whose vapor pressure at the temperature of use is such that the internalpressure of the container suffices to block the valve.

Valves of this general type can include membranelike support elementsfor the valve member adapted to bear against a seat-forming member alongan annular zone by means of which escape of the contents of thereceptacle is prevented. In most of the conventional arrangements ofthis character the configuration of the valve member is such as toprevent it from being massproduced inexpensively from synthetic resin byhighspeed injection-molding techniques, while in almost all of thesesystems there is the danger that introduction of the substance to bedispensed and the propellant to the container at high pressures or withhigh velocities will dislodge the valve member and render the containerinoperative.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide animproved valve assembly for aerosol-type containers and like systems fordispensing gaseous, atomized, colloidally dispensed and like substanceswith the aid of a propellant (low-carbon-number hydrocarbon, fluocarbon,nitrogen-oxide, carbon-dioxide, etc).

One object of my present invention is to provide an aerosol-containervalve assembly whose components can be produced inexpensively atrelatively high rate and by commercially acceptable techniques withoutsensitive tolerances and without the danger that the components ofthe'valve will be dislodged during the filling operation.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a self-sealingvalve assembly for aerosol containers which is relatively simple and canbe used for filling the unit Without problems.

These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter areattained, in accordance with the present invention, by providing a valveassembly of the type having a membrane-like sealing member with at leastone stop element or projection extending generally transverse to thedirection of displacement of the valve member and mounted either uponthe valve member or the seat-forming member and engageable with anabutment surface of the other member upon displacement of the valve member in the valve-opening direction. Thus, the valve member can extendgenerally axially while having a membrane-forming, generally cylindricalshell at its lower portion and a pin-like upper portion integral withthis lower portion and extending through the seat-forming member atleast past the seat defined between these members for manual actuationto operate the valve. The valve can be formed by this actuating pinwhich may constitute a plug or the like adapted to be pressed firmlyinto a sleeve portion of the seat-forming member by the pressure withinthe aerosol container. Alternatively the pin may be freely slideablewithin this sleeve while an annular valve seat is formed between themembers at the junction thereof with the membrane-like cylindricalportion of the valve. 8iynETAOI The valve member can, accordingly, beformed with the stop element at the upper extremity, i.e. along the endof the pin projection beyond the sleeve which may be provided with anabutment in the path of this stop element for engagement thereby in anextreme open position of the valve. Moreover, the seat-forming membercan be provided with an inwardly projecting formation constituting thestop element and disposed in the path of the generally cylindricaldiaphragm portion of the valve member. The stop elements of theseat-forming member and the valve member may be resiliently defiectableand provided with inwardly and upwardly convergent surfaces adapted tobe bent as the valve member is inserted into the seat-forming member andthen to spring back into position to limit the displacement of the valvemember in the valve-opening direction. Both the valve member and theseat-forming member may, therefore, be formed from a synthetic resin byinjection molding or the like so that the stop elements and abutmentsare integral therewith. While, in each valve, stop elements can beprovided on both the valve and seat-forming members, it is alsocontemplated that such stop elements will be provided either on thevalve member or on the seatforming member. Best results are obtainedwhen both types of stop element are employed. Moreover, I have foundthat, when the stop elements are to be provided upon the seat-formingmember, a plurality of them should be angularly equispaced about thevalve axis. The overall peripheral extent of the stop elements are, ofcourse, determined by the total inward force to which the valve memberwill be subject during filling of the container. When four stop elementsare, for example, employed for engagement with the apron of thediaphragm member, the circumferential width of these elements may behalf or less than that of the stop element when only two are provided.

As described above, the valve member is provided with a diaphragm-likestructure adapted to hold the valve member in annular engagement withthe seat-forming member with a force determined by the internal pressureof the container. Best results are obtained from the point of view ofsealing engagement and ease of manufacture of the valve when thediaphragm-forming portion constitutes a yieldable inwardly open collaror apron closely juxtaposed with a substantially coaxial sleeve of theseatforming member. The internal pressure thus suffices to urge thevalve member and collar axially into the seatforming member and thecollar into a spreading or distending engagement of the seat-formingmember so that an annular seal can also be formed along the apronportion of the diaphragm. The latter may have a generally frusto-conicalchamber converging into the direction of the outlet of the valve so thatthe force applied to the collar and driving it into sealing engagementwith the sleeve of the seat-forming member also has an outward componenttending to hold the valve member radially against the seat-formingmember.

The arrangement discussed above is advantageous in that each valverequires only the two members described. It is, however, frequentlydesirable to provide a valveactuating member adapted to cooperate withthe pin-like formation of the valve member for depressing same. Each ofthese elements can be easily produced by injectionmolding techniques.Evidence has shown that the valves are perfectly self-sealing so thateven with an energetic actuation of the valve member and a high appliedpressure, the valve operates efficiently. As noted above, the valvemember cannot be disloged with respect to its seat so that even thefilling of the canisters with high pressure devices and the like cannotrender the valve ineffective.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more readily apparent from the followingdescription, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a self-sealing valve for anaerosol canister, according to the present invention;

FIG. 1A is an end view, somewhat enlarged, of the pin-like formation ofthe valve member of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken transversely to the valve axisshowing the bottom of the seat-forming member of the valve;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating another construction ofthe seat-forming member; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment of thisinvention.

In FIG. 1 I show an aerosol container 8 whose opening is reinforced by alip 8' to which the fastening rim 7 of a seat-forming member 1 is held;the seat-forming member has an annular bulge 7' drawn against the lip 8of the container 8 when the rim 7 is locked in place. The seat-formingmember 1 is formed with an upwardly tapering tubular frustoconicalsleeve 2 through the interior of which extends the pin-like formation 4of a valve member 3 shiftable axially with respect to the seatformingmember 1. The sleeve 2 defines a valve seat for the plug-like pin 4whose upper extremity projects beyond the upper end 2' of the sleeve 2.At its lower extremity, the valve member 2 is provided with afrustoconioal portion 5 integral with a sealing collar 6, the valveportion 4 being integral with and carried by the membrane-like supportportion 5, 6. The support portion 5, 6 is, according to this invention,elastically deformable and is normally held by the internal pressure ofthe container 8 against the complementary portion 1 of the seat-formingmember; thus, the frustoconical portion 5 bears against thefrustoconical portion 1' of the seat-forming member 1 while thegenerally cylindrical collar 6 is coaxial with and proximal to thecylindrical portion 1" of member 1, the cylindrical portion carrying thefastening means 7, 7'.

The valve member 3 is provided, in the region of the pin-like portion 4,with a plurality of angularly equispaced openings 9 which dischargefluid received from a syphon tube 10 into the gap between the plug 4 andthe sleeve 2 when the valve member 3 is depressed. For this purpose, thetube 10, which generally extends below the surface of the liquid withinthe container and to the bo tom thereof, is received within a connectingboss 11 integral with the valve member 3. The tube 10 terminates shortof the upper end of the internal cavity of the boss or sleeve 11 whichthus defines a chamber 12 with which the openings 9 communicate.

A valve-actuating member or head 13 is provided in the embodiment shownin FIG. 1 and has a cylindrical cap-like configuration. At least theupper wall 13 of this cap is elastically deformable into engagement withthe projecting portion of plug 4 so as to depress the latter. A tubularformation 13" of this head extends over the sleeve 2 and forms with theinterior thereof a compartment 13a from which the contents of thecontainer are dispensed via a nozzle 14 communicating with the com-.partment 13a by way of a passage 14'. The cap 13 can be sealingly heldby a rubber ring 13b within the annular recess between the cylindricalportion 1" of the seat-forming member 1 and the connecting formations 7,7 thereof. The cap 13 and the seat-forming member 1 can beinjection-molded from synthetic resin and preferably havelowcoefficients of sliding friction so that the frustoconicalconfiguration of sleeve 2 tends to urge the elastically distendableportion 13" of cap 13 upwardly. When the wall 13 of the cap 13 isdepressed, it comes into engagement with the projecting portion of plug4 and urges the valve member 3 inwardly to produce a clearance betweenthe plug 4 and the sleeve 2 through which the substance to be dispensedflows from openings 9 to outlet 14. When it is desired to fill thecontainer with the propellant and/or the other substance to bedispensed, the cap 13 is removed and inwardly directed pressure isapplied by the fluid at sleeve 2. There is, therefore, a tendency forthe valve member 3 to be projected inwardly out of the valve seat 1.

According to an important feature of this invention, therefore, thevalve-opening movement of member 3 is limited by at least one stopelement 15, 16. These elements also prevent dislodgement of the valvemember by overenergetic actuation thereof. Thus a plurality of angularlyspaced inward projections 15 can be formed integrally with theseat-forming member 1 during an injection-molding operation, the stopelements 15 being provided at the lower extremity of the cylindricalportion 1" at the junction of the fastening collar 7, 7 thereof; ingeneral, injection-molding of the seat-forming member 2 is facilitatedwhen, regardless of the member upon which the stop element is to beprovided, the elements are formed at the extremity of the member so thatrelatively simple dies can be employed and the molding can be effectedwithout problems with regard to removal of the members from their moldcavities. The inwardly projecting stop elements 15 extend into the pathof an abutment surface 6' of the collar 6 to limit the downwarddisplacement of valve member 3. Since the membrane portion 5, 6 iselastically deformable, as indicated earlier, the valve member 3 can beforced past projections 15 to assemble to the valve without difficulty.

In FIG. 3 I show an arrangement wherein the noselike projections 15 arereplaced by segmental formations 15' of relatively large circumferentialextent. In almost all cases, however, it is advantageous to form amember with a relatively large proportion of its circumference free fromthe projections 15 or 15 so that, in the event the valve member 3 isforced into its extreme lower position with the surface 6 in engagementwith the projections 15, 15', there will be sufficient clearance topermit the free influx of fluid into the container during a fillingoperation.

As is also evident from FIG. 1, the end of the pin-like plug 4 whichextends beyond the extremity 2 of sleeve 2 can be provided with alateral projection 16 engageable with this abutment surface 2' when thevalve member 3 is fully depressed. In this case, the elements 15, 15'need not be used although for best results both should be provided. Theformation 16 and/ or the sleeve 2 are elastically deformable so that theprojection 16 can be resiliently deflected or can spread the sleeve 2 asit is forced through the latter to spring into its position illustratedin FIG. 1. This is facilitated by the frustoconical configuration of thesleeve 2 and the plug member 3. To prevent obstruction of the passagebetween the sleeve 2 and member 4 during filling and when the member 4is fully depressed, one or the other is disposed eccentrically, madenoncircular, or is provided with channels 1d for the through flow of thematerial.

In FIG. 4 I show another system embodying the present invention whereinthe sleeve portion 102' of the seat-forming member 102 is cylindricaland serves as a guide for the cylindrical cap 113 into which thepin-like formation 104 extends. Annular teeth 104a are formed as thehead 113 is forced over the pin 104 and act as ratchet elementspreventing withdrawal of the head, which is applied after filling of thecontainer. The elastically deformable collar 106 is urged against thefrustoconical sleeve portion 101" by the pressure within the container108 while, upon depression of the valve member, the liquid to bedispensed flows through the syphon tube 110 and the tubular extension111 of the valve member 101. The latter is formed with a chamber 112with which a passage 109 communicates to conduct the fluid past thevalve seat 102a formed by a rubber washer. The latter cooperates withthe surface 102b to block fluid into the region between the pin 104 andthe sleeve 102. This region communicates with the nozzle 114. In thisembodiment as well, projections 115, similar to the projections 15 and15 described above, are employed.

The invention described and illustrated is believed to admit of manymodifications within the ability of persons skilled in the art, all suchmodifications being considered within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-sealing valve assembly for aerosol containers fillable throughsaid assembly, comprising a generally tubular seat-forming memberreceived within an opening of said container and defining an annularvalve seat provided with an axially extending sleeve portion extendingbeyond said seat; and a valve member movably mounted in saidseat-forming member and engageable with said seat, said valve memberhaving a first extremity exposed to fluid pressure in the interior ofsaid housing and forming a membrane urged by that fluid pressure in anout ward direction normally to hold said valve member against said seat,and a pinlike portion at its other extremity extending inwardly throughsaid sleeve and projecting therefrom for depression to withdraw saidvalve member inwardly from said seat and define between said valvemember and said seat member a clearance for introduction of fluid intoand discharge of fluid from said container, at least one of said membersbeing provided with at least one lateral stop projection extending overonly a limited peripheral region of said one of said members and theother of said members being provided with an abutment surface engageableby said projection upon inward displacement of said valve member tolimit such inward displacement and prevent said membrane from beingwithdrawn from said seat-forming member, said valve member beingprovided with an inwardly open resiliently deformable collar at saidfirst extremity surrounding said membrane and said seat-forming memberbeing generally cup-shaped and provided with a tubular portion coaxiallysurrounding said collar and closely juxtaposed therewith whereby fluidpressure within said container urges said membrane into contact withsaid seat and said collar outwardly against said tubular portion in aclosed condition of the valve assembly and fluid pressure applied fromwithout to said clearance deflects said collar inwardly to permit rapidfilling of the container, said valve member having a tubular bossextending inwardly from said membrane at said first extremity forreceiving a siphon to be adapted to extend into said container, saidmembrane being provided within said boss with at least one aperture forcommunication between said boss and said clearance for discharge offluid from said container upon depression of said valve member, saidsleeve and said pinlike portion forming a passage between them at leastupon depression of said valve member to constitute the solecommunication between said clearance and the exterior of the assemblyexternally of said pinlike portion, said tubular portion of saidseat-forming member being provided with said stop projection in theregion of its inner end and said collar defines said abutment surface,said collar being yieldable upon insertion of said valve member intosaid seat-forming member to clear said projection.

2. A valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of saidstop formations are angularly spaced along the inner edge of saidtubular portion and are integral with said seat-forming member.

3. A valve assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said stop projectionshave nose-like configurations.

4. A valve assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said stop projectionsare are segments extending from and spaced about the interior of saidtubular portion.

5. A self-sealing valve-assembly for aerosol containers fillable throughsaid assembly, comprising a generally tubular seat-forming memberreceived within an opening of said container and defining an annularvalve seat provided with an axially extending sleeve portion extendingbeyond said seat; and a valve member movably mounted in saidseat-forming member and engageable with said seat, said valve memberhaving a first extremity exposed to fluid pressure in the interior ofsaid housing and forming a membrane urged by that fluid pressure in anoutward direction normally to hold said valve member against said seat,and a pinlike portion at its other extremity extending inwardly throughsaid sleeve and projecting therefrom for depression to withdraw saidvalve member inwardly from said seat and define between said valvemember and said seat member a clearance for introduction of fluid intoand discharge of fluid from said container, at least one of said membersbeing provided with at least one lateral stop projection extending overonly a limited peripheral region of said one of said members and theother of said members being provided with an abutment surface engageableby said projection upon inward displacement of said valve member tolimit such inward displacement and prevent said membrane from being withdrawn from said seat-forming member, said valve member being providedwith an inwardly open resiliently deformable collar at said firstextremity surrounding said membrane and said seat-forming member beinggenerally cup-shaped and provided with a tubular portion coaxiallysurrounding said collar and closely juxtaposed therewith whereby fluidpressure within said container urges said membrane into contact withsaid seat and said collar outwardly against said tubular portion in aclosed condition of the valve assembly and fluid pressure applied fromwithout to said clearance deflects said collar inwardly to permit rapidfilling of the container, said valve member having a tubular bossextending inwardly from said membrane at said first extremity forreceiving a siphon to be adapted to extend into said container, saidmembrane being provided within said boss with at least one aperture forcommunication between said boss and said clearance for discharge offluid from said container upon depression of said valve member, saidsleeve and said pinlike portion forming a passage between them at leastupon depression of said valve member to constitute the solecommunication between said clearance and the exterior of the assemblyexternally of said pinlike portion, said stop projection being formedintegrally with said pinlike portion of said valve member and saidsleeve portion of said seat-forming member defining said abutmentsurface engageable by said stop projection, at least one of said membersbeing elastically deformable to permit said stop projection and saidpin-like portion to pass through said sleeve portion upon insertion ofsaid valve member in said seat-forming member.

6. A valve assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said sleeve portionand said pin-like portion converge axially inwardly and are offrustoconical configuration.

7. A valve assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein one of said pin-likeand sleeve portions are non-circular in cross section to form an axiallyextending passage for the fluid therebetween.

8. A valve assembly as defined in claim 6 where one of said pin-like andsleeve portions is formed with grooves opening in the direction of theother portion to form axially extending channels for said fluid.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTSAyres 222394 Campbell 222-394 5 Treharne et a1. 222559 X Nebinger 251354X 8 3,138,304 6/1964 Raehs 222394 3,201,081 8/1965 Lyon et a1. 251--175X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,073,816 1/1960 Germany.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SELF-SEALING VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS FILLABLE THROUGHSAID ASSEMBLY, COMPRISING A GENERALLY TUBULAR SEAT-FORMING MEMBERRECEIVED WITHIN AN OPENING OF SAID CONTAINER AND DEFINING AN ANNULARVALVE SEAT PROVIDED WITH AN AXIALLY EXTENDING SLEEVE PORTION EXTENDINGBEYOND SAID SEAT; AND A VALVE MEMBER MOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAIDSEAT-FORMING MEMBER AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SEAT, SAID VALVE MEMBERHAVING A FIRST EXTREMITY EXPOSED TO FLUID PRESSURE IN THE INTERIOR OFSAID HOUSING AND FORMING A MEMBRANE URGED BY THAT FLUID PRESSURE IN ANOUTWARD DIRECTION NORMALLY TO HOLD SAID VALVE MEMBER AGAINST SAID HEAT,AND A PINLIKE PORTION AT ITS OTHER EXTREMITY EXTENDING INWARDLY THROUGHSAID SLEEVE AND PROJECTING THEREFROM FOR DEPRESSION TO WITHDRAW SAIDVALVE MEMBER INWARDLY FROM SAID SEAT AND DEFINE BETWEEN SAID VALVEMEMBER AND SAID SEAT MEMBER A CLEARANCE FOR INTRODUCTION OF FLUID INTOAND DISCHARGE OF FLUID FROM SAID CONTAINER, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERSBEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE LATERAL STOP PROJECTION EXTENDING OVERONLY A LIMITED PERIPHERAL REGION OF SAID ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND THEOTHER OF SAID MEMBERS BEING PROVIDED WITH AN ABUTMENT SURFACE ENGAGEABLEBY SAID PROJECTION UPON INWARD DISPLACEMENT OF SAID VALVE MEMBER TOLIMIT SUCH INWARD DISPLACEMENT AND PREVENT SAID MEMBRANE FROM BEINGWITHDRAWN FROM SAID SEAT-FORMING MEMBER, AND VALVE MEMBER BEING PROVIDEDWITH AN INWARDLY OPEN RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE COLLAR AT SAID FRISTEXTREMITY SURROUNDING SAID MEMBRANE AND SAID SEAT-FORMING MEMBER BEINGGENERALLY CUP-SHAPED AND PROVIDED WITH A TUBULAR PORTION COAXIALLYSURROUNDING SAID COLLAR AND CLOSELY JUXTAPOSED THEREWITH WHEREBY FLUIDPRESSURE WITHIN SAID CONTAINER URGES SAID MEMBRANE INTO CONTACT WITHSAID SEAT AND SAID COLLAR OUTWARDLY AGAINST SAID TUBULAR PORTION IN ACLOSED CONDITION OF THE VALVE ASSEMBLY AND FLUID PRESSURE APPLIED FROMWITHOUT TO SAID CLEARANCE DEFLECTS SAID COLLAR INWARDLY TO PERMIT RAPIDFILLING OF THE CONTAINER, SAID VALVE MEMBER HAVING A TUBULAR BOSSEXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID MEMBRANE AT SAID FIRST EXTREMITY FORRECEIVING A SIPHON TO BE ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO SAID CONTAINER, SAIDMEMBRANE BEING PROVIDED WITHIN SAID BOSS WITH AT LEAST ONE APERTURE FORCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID BOSS AND SAID CLEARANCE FOR DISCHARGE OFFLUID FROM SAID CONTAINER UPON DEPRESSION OF SAID VALVE MEMBER, SAIDSLEEVE AND SAID PINLIKE PORTION FORMING A PASSAGE BETWEEN THEM AT LEASTUPON DEPRESSION OF SAID VALVE MEMBER TO CONSTITUTE THE SOLECOMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CLEARANCE AND THE EXTERIOR OF THE ASSEMBLYEXTERNALLY OF SAID PINLIKE PORTION, SAID TUBULAR PORTION OF SAIDSEAT-FORMING MEMBER BEING PROVIDE WITH SAID STOP PROJECTION IN THEREGION OF ITS INNER END AND SAID COLLAR DEFINES SAID ABUTMENT SURFACE,SAID COLLAR BEING YIELDABLE UPON INSERTION OF SAID VALVE MEMBER INTOSAID SEAT-FORMING MEMBER TO CLEAR SAID PROJECTION.